View source for Society for Promoting the Knowledge of the Scriptures

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
The '''Society for Promoting the Knowledge of the Scriptures''' was a group founded in 1783 in London, with a definite but rather constrained plan for Biblical interpretation.<ref name="Belsham">{{Cite web | url=https://archive.org/stream/memoirsoflaterev00belsiala#page/130/mode/2up |title = Memoirs of the late Reverend Theophilus Lindsey, M. A., &#91;microform&#93; including a brief analysis of his work|year = 1820}}</ref>  While in practical terms it was mainly concerned with promoting Unitarian views, it was broadly based.

==Founders==
The founding group included [[John Disney (Unitarian)|John Disney]], the initial Secretary,<ref>{{ODNBweb|id=7685|title=Disney, John|first=G. M.|last=Ditchfield}}</ref> and [[John Jebb (reformer)|John Jebb]].<ref>{{ODNBweb|id=14680 |title=Jebb, John|first=John|last=Gascoigne}}</ref>(ODNB). The membership was 30 to 40, of varied denominations. Among them were Dr. [[John Calder (writer)|John Calder]], [[Michael Dodson]], [[Andrew Kippis]], [[Theophilus Lindsey]] and [[Richard Price]] in London. Those in the provinces giving at least financial support included [[Joseph Priestley]], Bishop [[Edmund Law]], [[Joshua Toulmin]], and [[William Turner (minister at Wakefield)|William Turner]].<ref name="Belsham"/> [[Robert Tyrwhitt]] joined in 1784.<ref>{{cite DNB|wstitle=Tyrwhitt, Robert}}</ref>

==''Commentaries and Essays''==
The Society produced two volumes of ''Commentaries and Essays'' (1787), as its major achievement, before subsiding as inactive.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.pacificuu.org/wilbur/ahu/book1/17.htm | title=Chapter 17: Liberal Dissenters Unite to Form the Unitarian Church}}</ref> Among the contributors were Michael Dodson<ref>{{ODNBweb|id=7759|title=Dodson, Michael|first=M. J.|last=Mercer}}</ref> and [[Henry Moore (1732–1802)|Henry Moore]].<ref>{{ODNBweb|id=19117|title=Moore, Henry|first=M. J.|last=Mercer}}</ref>

==Notes==
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[[Category:1783 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Unitarianism]]